Skip to main content

Writing an introduction (Academic IELTS Task 2)

Writing an essay is a challenge for both experienced and inexperienced writers. One reason is paragraphing. Most test takers know the basics of the task and they know what to expect. What they usually don't know how to figure out is how to start the essay.

In my experience, I have often recommended my students to understand the different words and/phrases often used in the test. Furthermore, I ask them to broaden their knowledge on myriads of topics by reading a lot, watching news, and even by discussing them with other people. Well, that's just the "input" process. 

Next, they are tasked to write down their ideas on the topic within a time limit to help them develop their critical thinking and decision-making skills. The catch is to ask them to write as honestly as possible and to stick with what they already now. That is easier said than done because most of my students concentrate too much on making an "impact". That is, they want to write something that is unique and remarkable. Of course, there's nothing bad about showing off and writing down intelligent content but remember, if you're time pressured, content is not as important as it sounds because... examiners check the PROPER USE of the ENGLISH language and not how great your ideas are. 

Enough about that, let's talk about writing.

Basically, you need to pick out the key words used in the topic. After this, brainstorm for possible synonyms or phrases that you can use for these keywords. The next step is to rewrite the topic. You somehow need to be grammar-savvy for this. Try your best to work your way around the list of synonyms you have listed when rewriting the topic. DO NOT replace some words in the topic just for the sake of ''paraphrasing". Be imaginative but don't include things are not necessary. This part can be very time-consuming but it is rewarding once you get the hang of it.

Lastly, include either one of these things:
1. an explanation of what you want to write about (This essay will discuss the...)
2. your reaction to the topic/question (It is clear that...)
3. the summary of the question by asking another question (How can we know for sure the...?)

To conclude, the first paragraph of your essay should follow this pattern: 

The paraphrased topic/question + One of the three things above. 

The following paragraphs will highly depend on whatever your content would be. Just remember that your sentences must be coherent and cohesive. 


Practise with these topics:
1. 
The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest problem faced by humanity at the present time. 
What are the causes of this continued rise?
Do you agree that it is the greatest problem faced by humanity?


2. 
In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country.
Nowadays, they have more opportunity abroad.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cambridge 11 Test 3 Writing Task 1

Sample: The data from the line graph illustrates the carbon dioxide emissions of an average individual per metric tonnes in four European countries every decade from 1967-2007.A closer look at the data highlights the fact that among the 4 nations, the UK has the highest rate in carbon dioxide emissions per person in 40 years. In 1967, there was approximately 11 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide released by an average Englishman which was about ten times higher than the emissions made by an individual from Portugal. However, it can be seen that as time went by, the carbon dioxide emitted by Englishmen decreased gradually to over 8 metric tonnes in 2007. On the other hand, a different trend can be noted in the countries Italy and Portugal where the emissions slowly rose from an initial rate of approximately 4 and 1 metric ton to about 7 and 6 metric tonnes in 4 decades. In Sweden, emissions increased to its record highest in 1977 w...
1 comment
Read more

Cambridge 12: Academic IELTS Test 5 Writing task 2 sample essay (Information Technology)

Sample essay: One of the basic human rights that people exercise freely nowadays is the right to information. The advent of information technology paved the way for us to make information, whether from scientific research, business and academic world, more accessible. Although many people agree that this has good benefits, some insist that there should be a limit to what information can be shared to the public. This essay will focus on the pros and cons of these two ideas. Technological advancements have made it possible for us to search for and gain information with much ease and convenience. In fact, most people rely on and utilize the internet more than ever. We can study just about anything we can think of when you find the right resources on the web. There has been an upsurge of distance learning courses offered by different institutions. This kind of learning has attracted not only students but also professionals who unfortunately, do not have the luxury of time to g...
3 comments
Read more

Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1

Sample: The pie charts represent the rate of distribution of water in three different sectors, industrial, agricultural and domestic, in six places worldwide. Generally speaking, the use of water for agriculture has the highest percentage in almost all areas globally whereas water for household use has the lowest ratio. In central Asia, Africa and South East Asia, more than 80% of their water supply is utilized in the production of food which is almost two times larger than in North America that has a greater need in the industrial consumption of water with 48% respectively. Similarly, Europe distributes over half of their water supply in their industries which is far larger than the 5% rate in Central Asia. Water for household use accounts for less than one-fifths in the overall proportion in all six areas in  the world. This data reveals that water is highly used in the production of both food and other commodities than for domestic purposes.  Wo...
2 comments
Read more